hansen



March 8, 1932.

H. 1.. HANSEN 1,848,71

POTATO DIGGING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 28, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor ffllflrwem March 8, HANSEN POTATO DIGGING APPARATUS Ori ginal Filed Dec. 28, 1928 s shee ts-sheet HL .Ha/zsen March 8, 1932. H. L. HANSEN POTATO DIGGING APPARATUS 3 Sheets- Sh eet 3 Original Filed Dec. 28, 1928 QM Q I Invnior ZZL .f'fanaen Aiorney Patented Mar. 8, 1932 UNITED STATES HANS L. 'HANSEiTiOF nnmneronn, NEBRASKA a ro'rArro DIGGING APPARATUS Application filed December 28, 1928, Seria1 No. 328,891 Renewed January 28, 1932. i

The present invention relates to anapparatus for digging, cleaning and sacking potatoes and has for its principal object to provide a wheeled structure having an end- .5 less conveyor associated therewith and driven by a motor carried by the apparatus for elevating the potatoes over gradings so as to loosen the dirt therefrom and also to provide platforms supported about the frame of the machine upon which workmen may stand for picking and removing foreign matter from the potatoes before the same are packed.

A further, object of the invention is to provide a digging element having novel adjusting means for regulating the depth at which the same penetrates the soil.

A still further object is to provide a sackingapparatus for receiving the potatoes from the conveyor and discharging the same into sacks removably attachedupon a swinging bracket arranged for movement into and out 7 of position with respect to the sacking apparatus.

Other objects and advantages reside in the special construction, combination and arrangement of the various elementsforming the invention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 'the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like I veyor. 7

parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the potato mounted upon the frame members 5, adjacent the forward portion thereof to which a motor 85 i digging apparatus in operativeposition,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view through the housing for the worm drive connection between the conveyor and elevator shaft and the motor, and Y Figure 6 is a fragmentary p'erspective'view of a swivel joint.

Referring now to the drawings in, detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have Figure 2 is a side elevational View thereof Figure 3 1s a vertical transverse sectional vlew taken substantlally along a l1ne 3-3 of by the digging j from which pulley-v a shaft 23 extends reardisclo-sed a preferred embodiment ofthe invention, the numeral 5 designates a frame mounted upon front and rear wheels 6 and 7 respectively. 1 The frame 5 extends 'rearwardly of the 5 rear wheels? and carries an elevator sup-. port composed of a'pairof spaced uprights 8 connected at their upper ends with forwardly and downwardly inclined support members 9. Shafts 10 and 11 are'journaled 5 for rotation adjacent the upper and lower. ends respectively of the inclined member 9. The upper inclined part 9 is of angle iron. 8

The shafts are provided with sprocket wheels 12 and 18 respectively mounted at each 66 end'of the shaft and are operatively connected by a pair of chains 14. Aplurality of closely spaced parallel rods 15 extend transversely of the apparatus with their opposite endsfattached to the respective chains 14 for move- 7 ment with the chains about the shafts10 and Hand constitute a conveyor for the material dellvered at a point adjacent the lower shaft for elevating the material anddis'charging the same at a point adjacent the upper shaft.

The upwardly and rearwardly inclined supporting members 9 form guides for each side I of the conveyor and also mount rollers '16 along their loweredges, over which the chains 14: and rods 15 are adapted to travel. to pre-so vent sagging of the upper section of the con- A motor support or engine stand 17 is" 18 is attached, the motor preferably being in the form of an internal combustione'ngine; To the drive shaft 19 of th-e engine is attached a pulley wheel 20for operating a belt 21 extending about a belt pulley 22 supported at one side of the frame of the apparatus and wardly through a gear housing 24 supported at the side of'one of the frame members 5,

The end or the shaft disposed within the .95

housing is providedwith a worm 25 in opera- 1 tive engagementwith a worm gear 26 mounted in the housing,'said gear being keyed to a shaft 27 extending throughone side of the housing'and idisposed transversely of the 1 apparatus and journaled in the frame members 5 thereof.

The shaft 27 is disposed in substantially closely spaced parallel relation with the shaft 11 of the conveyor and these shafts are each provided with sprocket wheels 28 and 29 respectively operatively connected through a chain 30.. It will thus be apparent that the conveyor mounted upon the shafts IO and I1 is operated through the engine.

The shaft 27 is also; utilized to operate a forwardly disposed conveyor and for thispurpose is provided adjacent its opposite ends with a pair of sprocket wheels 31 about which chains 32' are "operatively arranged. Thechains extend forwardlyat opposite sides of the apparatus about rollers 33 mountedv for free rotationE adjacent the opposite ends of a stationary shaft 34.

A lural-ity of closely spaced parallel rods 35' ex endjtransversely of'the apparatus with heir opposite ends attached, to; the chains 32' for movement about the shafts 27 and 345 with j acent the forward, ends thereof",@the ends, of

t e s th ngsquared as shown at 38 where'- by to preventrotati'on thereQff A housing 39 is arranged. about the shaft 34;.

with the opposite ends oftheyhousingrotat ably supported upon hubs iOQextending. inwardly from the rollers 33,.

A roller bearing assembly. 41, is interposed betweenthehuhs Oand'jthe housing whereby to, facilitate thejrot'ati'on of. the-huh and. the

r0llje r. The housing is filled with. asuitahle quantity ofljuhricating oilj't2' through a filler:

plug; 43 for ubricating'thehuh andithe roller cluriilg its otati'on about. the. shaft.

The ends. of. the hqusi'ng are fitted with, a. suitable packing 4:4. The forward endsof. the side :hoards36have apotato. diggingblade 45, attached thereto andextendingr forwardly therefrom; for. penetrating the. soil in advance of-theconveyor rods 35. carried by-therollers 33 whereby to; remove the, potatoes from: the ground: andiplacethe same into-a position: for

engagement:- by: the rods 35 of the forward Rollers 46 i are supp ortedi at the lower edge of? the side board's 36 for: supporting the chains- 32 and rods 35- from dragging along the ground'dur-ingthe digging-operation;

The forward ends ofthe; side boards 36 are supported for vertical adjustment by; meansof a bail 4C7. pivotally attached to a link 48 carriedhy an,arn1, 49 on thel-roclf shaftAQ, extending transversely. ofjthe. frame members 5 and ournaled at its opposite ends for rotation therein.

The rock shaft is also provided with a radially extending arm 50 to which one end of a screw threaded crank rod 51 is swivelly connected, said crank rod extending rearwardly and heingthreaded through a pivoted guide 52 also mounted. on the motor frame 17. The rear end of the screw is formed into a crank handle 53 providing operating means forthe screw whereby to-accomplish the vertical adjustment of the side boards 36 and the forwardly disposed conveyor.

As clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the adjacent ends of the conveyors are disposed in overlapping relation so that the material from the forward conveyor will be deposited upon the rear conveyor and.

transported toward the rear of the machine- Platforms 54 are supported at each sideof'- the machine upon the frame members 5 upon which workmen may stand for removl'ng any foreign matter from. the conveyors which may be picked up duringv the digging;

operation. A receptacle or hopper 55 is attached to the upright Sin a position for receiving; the potatoes from the discharge end of the rearwardconveyor, the hopper having;

a discharge opening56 formedin the bottom thereof;

Albracket 57' is attached to the rear wall of the hopper for pivotall'y supporting. an angular arm 58 adapted for swinging: movement. into and out of. position beneath the hopper. The free end of' the arm is provided. with. an annular member 59 having hooks 60 extending therefrom upon which a potatosack indicatedby the dotted; lines at 61 may he attachedfor-swinging movement withsaid arm.

It will be: apparent from the foregoing.

that the-sackmay be. swung into and out of position. beneath the. opening 56"of.' the hopper whereby to receive the: potatoes dischargedtherefrom andwhen. a. desired. quantity of? thepotatoes. have beenpIa'ced inthe sack the same may. he swung. away from the hopper. and removed fromthe hooks 6.0..

A work platform 62 extends rearwardly of the, frame members 5. of' the machine adaptedito supporta workman for removing andlrepl'acing the. sacks =61. whilethe. machine is in motion.

It. is obvious that. my invention issusceptihle to Various, changes. and modifications in construction. without departing from. the spirit of the invention or the scope of. the appended .claim,..and. I accordingly; claim: all such. forms of thedevice: to: which I. am enrtitled.

Having thus described 1115 4 invention,..what' I. claim. as new is:.

A potato digger of the character described comprisinga .wheeled.frame,; an.endlessacontically adjustable endless conveyor mounted on the frame and overlapping the first named conveyor, a stand mounted on the frame and extending transversely thereover, an engine mounted on the stand operatively coupled to the conveyors and means for shifting the adjustable conveyor vertically comprising a rotatable shaft journaled in the frame, a pair ofv arms projecting laterally from the shaft, a bail pivotally coupled to one of said arms and to the adjustable conveyor, a screw threaded crank rod swivelly connected to the other arm and a guide mounted on the engine stand for threaded engagement with thefcrank rod adjacent its 7 free end.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HANS L. HANSEN. 

